Random blog of my life and times in/around Memphis, TN.
I'm a single, Caucasian male who may or may not get into trouble. I write about the social scene around town, various shows I watch, and whatever I feel like bitching about. Enjoy.

8/21/2006

My weekend: Parties, Ricky Bobby, Crazy Cabbies, and Swimming

So Friday night a ton of us (6+ tables) went to Café Ole in Cooper/Young for CH’s bday. For those of you who were wondering, he did get ALL his presents. I only gave him two cigars though.But before I get to that though, I have to tell you about the cab ride. So the cab driver picks me up first. We start talking about the neighborhood I live in and how cool it is. He said “yeah, I live around the corner in (a building I’m not going to name).”I said “wow, my great-grandmother used to live there. Of course she was really old, almost a hundred at the time and nearly burned down the kitchen.”He said “really what was her name?”It was at that point that I decided to get amnesia: “You know, I can’t really remember her last name.” That’s a complete lie: her last name is my last name.He said “Well I bought it years ago for my folks…(yada yada yada)…and then last year, I moved back to Memphis since I owned it and my parents passed away. We bought it from some old lady named (my last name).”I said “huh…”We picked up KK, the Shady Lady, and the Shady Hasbeen. I was afraid one of them was going to say my last name or something. We get out of the cab at the restaurant and I tell them the whole story. Kinda blows their minds like it did mine.Dinner was pretty uneventful. We just talked and talked and drank. I left early because I had to get up early to set up for the party Saturday night. Here is a pic from the dinner.I caught another cab home and shared it with the Shady Hasbeen. We dropped her off first and then I headed home. We talked about how she was going to see Poison and Cinderella and I had no desire really. Larry the cabbie piped up and told us stories about how he used to drive for Poison and Chippendales’ models back in the 80s (he swears they were all straight and had really hot girlfriends). He was driving Poison’s bus when they first went on tour as the opening act for Cinderella. He was in the tour bus when Johnny Paycheck shot some dude in the bar. Our cab driver was a friggin piece of rock history! I told him he needed to write a book. He said “boy, if I did, I’d have people coming out of the woodwork to sue me.” We swapped info, and he emailed me a few pics from the ol’ days. Here are a few of them:After I got home, I got on a long phone call while smoking a cigar and drinking some wine outside. After I got off that call, another phone call came in. Several unnamed sources are trying to get me to come over to swim. I explain my dilemma about getting up early and being productive. They call my BS and tell me to get over there. I change and head that way. We drink and swim for a few hours and then call it a night.Saturday I work most of the day getting ready for the ‘rent’s 30th anniversary party. I basically worked on that from 2:30ish until 10 when I left. It was a great party with a lot of stories told. Great time with the family. When I finally got home I was exhausted. I was fending off invites to swim again or go see Miami Vice or go to Newby’s or go to Yosemite Sam’s. I had to explain how tired I was and all. Everyone was ok with it…except one person. But I won’t go into that or else I’m going to have to hear about it from several people.Sunday I spent most of my time doing boring stuff: laundry and dishes. I did hit the gym and swim over 20 laps non-stop (I have a certain goal I have to meet by the beginning of October). I promised AL that I’d go with him and a bunch of folks to see Talledega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby Sunday night. Well he was going to be in charge of inviting everyone. In the end I got a call around 6:45 from him. He was just getting home from skeet shooting and had forgotten to invite anyone. Oh well. He did invite the Shady Hasbeen. So it was just the three of us. Here’s my review: funny ass movie. I went in without any expectations. Everyone I talked to who went in thinking it was going to be a badass movie was disappointed. I went with a different approach. And I’m all about the shake and bake. I’m going to go again just to catch all the one-liners. The sons, Walker and Texas Ranger, were the best. I think they had the funniest damn lines of the whole movie.Anyway, I’m gonna jet.